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Ventura police call for public's help identifying potential witnesses to homeless attack

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Police say they're still hoping to talk to potential witnesses in the case of a homeless man who was set on fire near a Ventura beach over a week ago. Police say they haven't been able to speak with the victim since the night of the attack. He's still recovering in a local hospital.  

Last week, the department uploaded surveillance video screenshots of three potential witnesses to the incident. They've asked the public's help in identifying the people in the images. 

"The persons in the photographs are not suspects or persons-of-interest," Ventura Police commander Tom Higgins said. "We're just trying to find [them] because there were no additional witnesses of the incident that occurred there." 

Higgins said police had received some response to their post, but that it hasn't led to the individuals yet. 

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58-year old John Frazier is recovering from burns to nearly 40 percent of his body after he was attacked near San Buenaventura State Beach on January 17.  

Frazier told police he was was doused with flammable liquid and set on fire by three men while he was sleeping,  His assailants — all in their late teens or twenties — had shaved heads and wore black clothing, Frazier said. 

A passerby rushed over to extinguish the flames with sand.

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